113 lines
5.8 KiB
Plaintext
113 lines
5.8 KiB
Plaintext
The Eight Sabbats of the Old Religion
|
|
|
|
The Old Religion, Wicca, divides the year into eight main high days or
|
|
Sabbats. Four of these are associated directly with the two equinoxes
|
|
and the two solstices. The other four fall at dates inbetween these
|
|
points.
|
|
|
|
In the Celtic Tradition, the year begins at SAMHAIN, or as it is
|
|
called now, Halloween. This is the night that the veil between the
|
|
world of men and spirits is considered to be the thinnest, so it is
|
|
of little wonder that people should think of it as a night that all
|
|
sorts of things roam about. It is New Year to the Celtics and a time
|
|
to try and peek a little into the time ahead or to see if it is
|
|
possible to view the future with Divination. Divination is done in
|
|
many forms but all seek to establish a look ahead, whether the answer
|
|
appears good or bad. SAMHAIN is also considered to start the reign of
|
|
the GOD or the dark time of the Year when the Sun goes lower each day
|
|
and begins to weaken.
|
|
|
|
YULE- December 21 is called YULE. It is the time of the Winter
|
|
Solstice, the shortest day of the year.
|
|
|
|
From this day forward the sun again begins to grow in strength and
|
|
rise to new heights each day. It is a time of celebration and gift
|
|
giving. At each of the Sabbats a number of Covens will meet and those
|
|
that practice solitary may come to celebrate in the festivities.
|
|
Families come together traditionally to these festivals. At Yule the
|
|
celebration is in honor of the Sun being reborn and its start to warm
|
|
the Earth and drive the Winter from the land. In the early days the
|
|
LORD of the HUNT, or the HORNED GOD of the HUNT, was most important
|
|
for survival in Winter since hunting was the means of survival
|
|
practiced. The Horned God is in no way to be confused with the DEVIL.
|
|
Wicca does not consider the Devil to be an entity but believes that
|
|
all good and evil are contained in each individual and it is up to
|
|
that individual to be as good or as bad as they deem.MAN is man, both
|
|
good and bad.
|
|
|
|
CANDLEMAS or BRIGIDDAY- February 2nd is celebrated as Candlemas. This
|
|
is a festival of lights. This date is approximately half way between
|
|
YULE and SPRING. BRIGID was the Celtic Goddess of
|
|
Fire, Smithcraft, Healing and Wells and this was her day. Candlemas is
|
|
considered in some traditions as the marker point where the Mother
|
|
Goddess, the Great Earth Mother marks the path for the Sun God to
|
|
find her in the dark times. It is a time when the first rush of
|
|
Spring may be felt in the air and the warmth of the Sun grows
|
|
stronger.
|
|
|
|
SPRING EQUINOX- March 21 is the festival of Spring and the return to
|
|
the land of life after the dead of Winter. It is a celebration of the
|
|
return of growth and green things to the land. This festival is
|
|
usually considered to be a sharing of
|
|
love between the GOD and GODDESS, a period of equality, a balance
|
|
between the forces of nature and man and woman. If possible this
|
|
festival is done outdoors so the feeling of being close to nature is
|
|
attained. All around the feeling of Spring may prevail from the new
|
|
grass beneath the feet to the sweet clean smell of the air. The
|
|
joining of mankind with nature at this festival is easily
|
|
accomplished with the land renewed all around us.
|
|
|
|
BELTANE-April 30th is the celebration of Beltane. This is one of the
|
|
old fire festival at which BALEFIRES would be started across the
|
|
country with a new fire that had been started by the Priests and
|
|
hearths would be rekindled with the fresh flame. In some quarters
|
|
stock would be driven between two fires , one to each side to purify
|
|
the animals(not to mention get rid of pests they might be carrying).
|
|
It is also considered as the coming together of the God and Goddess
|
|
in fruitful union to add new life to the crops and hasten their
|
|
growth.
|
|
|
|
SUMMER SOLSTICE-June 21st is the longest day of the year and marks
|
|
the high point reached by the Sun on its yearly journey. It is the
|
|
height of Summer and the fields are green with the new crops. Life
|
|
abounds all around us and in every living thing is the feeling of
|
|
oneness with nature. It is easy to stand in a woods or a field and
|
|
feel the Earth around you while the Sun shines on your face. To hear
|
|
the birds in song or to watch the animals teaching their spring born
|
|
young what they must learn to survive winter is a beautiful feeling
|
|
of oneness with all beings.
|
|
|
|
LAMMAS- August 2nd is the festival of Lammas which is the first
|
|
harvest. The early crops are being brought in and stored for winter
|
|
while the abundance of nature is all around. The corn stands high in
|
|
the fields and the days are warm and luxurious. Lammas is the time of
|
|
sharing the first harvest and breads that are made from the early
|
|
grains. It is a festival where sharing between all present of the
|
|
harvest and its bounty forms a closeness or bond. It is a time of
|
|
thankfulness to the God and Goddess for their help in the creation of
|
|
a full harvest for the winter that lies ahead.
|
|
|
|
FALL EQUINOX-September 21st is the exact opposite of March 21st. Both
|
|
of these are times of equal night and equal day. Fall Equinox is a
|
|
reminder that the Sun will now start to grow shorter each day from
|
|
this point on until again at YULE the longest time of darkness will
|
|
come again. This is again a time of equalness between the God and
|
|
Goddess, the God represented by the Sun, the Goddess by the Moon.
|
|
Each representing half of one whole that is fulfilled by their
|
|
joining as one. Fruitfulness of the land being the end result of
|
|
their mutualness, the bounty of the harvest will be brought in and
|
|
stored against winter, and the dArk times. From here the next
|
|
festival is again SAMHAIN and the start of a NEW YEAR.
|
|
|
|
SO THE WHEEL OF THE YEAR TURNS IN THE
|
|
OLD RELIGION
|
|
|
|
For further information about the Old Religion send a self addressed
|
|
stamped envelope to:
|
|
|
|
CTOC
|
|
P.O. Box 186
|
|
Posen, Il. 60469
|
|
|
|
All inquiries with return postage will be answered.
|